Pocket sail



y 1939- F. M. WILLARD 2,159,923

' POCKET SAIL v 'F iled March 31, 1938 17 6027: mild/J Patented May 23, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a sail for sailing vessels or an equivalent and it aims to provide a novel pocket means therefor enabling the wind to exert a. lifting force on the vessel equipped with the sail to afford more power ahead with steadier motion.

It is further aimed to provide the pocket or pockets of the sail preferably on an axis inclined from the deck of the vessel approximately toward the top of the mast.

The more specific objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connection with accompanying drawing illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawing:-

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing a sail connected to a mast, the sail being constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevation showing one of the pockets and the adjacent portion ofthe sail, and

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring specifically to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts in the different views, l designates a sail made for instance of canvas or other textile fabric and attached as at II in any conventional manner to a mast l2 of conventional form used on a sail boat.

In accordance with the invention, said sail is equipped with any desired number of pocket members l3 which are also of canvas, other'textile fabric or material like the sail l0. Such pockets are outwardlybulged as shown in Figure 3 and they occupy substantially ellipsoidal openings l4 out in the sail and the edges of the pockets overlap the edges at said openings and at their junction, they are preferably stitched together at IS with textile thread or the equivalent.

It will be noted that the uppermost ends of the pockets are wider than the lowermost ends and that the pockets are disposed at an angle extending approximately 45 and in the direction. from the deck upwardly toward the mast. 5 Such a construction I find is more subject to the impingement of the wind against the sail in the pockets, exerting a lifting effect on the boat or vessel equipped with the sail, enabling more speed ahead and steadier motion of the boat or vessel. 10

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

initially separate from the sail, the sail having openings in which the pockets are disposed,

means securing the pockets marginally thereof to the sail continuously around the openings thereof, said openings and pockets being substantially ellipsoidal, and disposed on an inclined axis.

3. A sail for a sailing vessel, said sail having pockets for impingement by the wind to exert a lifting efiect, said pockets consisting of elements initially separate from the sail, the sail having openings in which the pockets are disposed, means securing the pockets marginally thereof to the sail around the openings thereof, said openings and pockets being substantially ellipsoidal, and disposed on an inclined axis, all of the axes being substantially in parallelism.

FRANK M. WILLARD. 

